His samurai films like 'Rashomon' and 'Seven Samurai' explore tournament-like competitions and hierarchies of skill, honor, and survival.

Films like 'The Social Network' and 'Gone Girl' present life as a strategic tournament where characters compete for power, truth, and dominance.

His works like 'The Wrestler' and 'Black Swan' depict obsessive personal tournaments where characters battle themselves and their rivals for perfection and recognition.